


Forest Of Fears

by TheDarkestDandelion



Series: The Daemon, the Soldier and a Stolen Bio-Weapon AU [109]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Bad Ideas, Cor Leonis Needs a Hug, Daemons, Facing Fears, Fear, Fear of Death, Fear of Rejection, Forests, Gen, Gods, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Mentions Noctis Lucis Caelum, Mentions Past Self Harm, Mind Manipulation, Minor Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Minor Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, Oracles, Parent Ardyn Izunia, Parent Cor Leonis, Protective Ardyn Izunia, Psychological Horror, Scared Ardyn Izunia, Scared Prompto Argentum, Somehow Somnus is the only one that makes sense in this fic..., Terror, Weather Changes, World of Ruin, stories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:22:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkestDandelion/pseuds/TheDarkestDandelion
Summary: Luna is determined to walk in the footsteps of her ancestors and traverse through Phobetor's Forest, better known to many as the 'Forest of Fears' to give her more clarity when conversing with the Six. She must do this because it just might hold the key in getting her beloved Noctis back.However, Regis refuses to let her go alone and orders the next two available high ranking officials to join her on her quest and protect her from the daemon that lurks in those woods. To Ardyn's horror, it's Cor and Prompto. Knowing he would never forgive himself if something happened to them, Ardyn tags along and as they step foot into the forest, they all come face to face with their greatest fears.
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia/Cor Leonis, Prompto Argentum & Lunafreya Nox Fleuret & Ardyn Izunia & Cor Leonis
Series: The Daemon, the Soldier and a Stolen Bio-Weapon AU [109]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1310333
Comments: 45
Kudos: 22





	1. Into The Forest We Go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KHGoddess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KHGoddess/gifts).



> I am back!!! 
> 
> Finally, finally, have internet again!!! To be honest I am glad I didn't have it for a while... sometimes you just need a break you know? And it abled me to get my flat altogether! So a very happy bunny! XD 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next instalment of the series! Cause man, I have enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> Oh and @KHGoddess, I had to gift this to you. Because a while ago you requested something of this series and I had been racking my brain cells trying to figure out how I could make it work... well I found a way!

“I must go.” Luna insisted as she stood before her father-in-law, Ardyn and Somnus. “I was meant to take part in this pilgrimage when I turned twenty-five. I mustn’t neglect my duty, I have to do this.” 

Ardyn mentally rolled his eyes. Regis was never going to agree to this, nor was Ravus, or anyone for that matter. Heck, Ardyn seriously doubted that Somnus would agree to this little adventure of hers. It was dangerous, even more so considering she no longer had the sunlight to complete her mission in. Oracles…. Always wanting to carry out their duty no matter the cost. In some way though, it was good to see that the fire of Aera’s hadn’t burnt out after so long… 

Just as Ardyn had predicted, Regis was against it. 

“My dear, I strongly advise you don’t.” 

“It will allow my communication with the Gods to become clearer.” 

“Why on Eos would you want to communicate with the beings that took your husband?!” Somnus spat words, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

The air turned frosty and Ardyn decided to keep his mouth shut for a moment or two. He could sense the hurt consuming all three of the people in the room and a surge of guilt clouded his brain because strictly speaking Ardyn had had a hand in that. They all may forgive him for it but he still hadn’t forgiven himself... 

Luna gave Somnus a cold stare and huffed out, tone as strong as a stone. “Because if one of them suddenly changes their minds and wants to give him back I will be able to converse with them.” 

“That is never going to happen. So, therefore, you don’t need to go.” 

“Grandfather, don’t get snappy with my daughter-in-law.” Regis exhaled, grief crumbling his words. Ardyn’s face saddened. Regis still clearly wasn’t over Noct’s disappearance. The King lent forward and gave the Oracle a weak smile. “Luna, my dear, stepping into Phobetor Forest is a serious feat. You could get lost or worse the powerful daemon that lives there could claim your life.” 

“That is exactly why I am telling you I am going and why I have asked Ardyn to be here, so he can explain to me the dangers. All of them.” 

Ardyn sniggered, forcing the three members of his family to stare at him. He shouldn’t laugh. Lunafreya was being deadly serious about venturing into such a place and was asking for his help but… it was a little bit funny they thought the daemon would claim her life. Many other daemons that lived around the area might, but not that one. That one had never claimed a soul in its entire life. 

“Uncle, please share with us what you think is so funny?” Regis demanded, scowling at him. 

“Oh nothing.” Ardyn waved his hand at him, trying to change this serious conversation to a more light-hearted one. “I don’t want to encourage Luna or anything… Only that daemon you speak of, feeds of fear. It won’t attack a soul. Only your worst fear and bring it to life. Other than that, he is completely harmless.”

“He?” Somnus scoffed, side-eyeing his brother at his choice of words. 

“Yes, Somnus, he.” Ardyn replied, with a nod. “He also has a name. Why do you think the forest is called Phobetor?”

“Phobetor?” Luna repeated the name, still completely unfazed by the threat of the daemon’s power. “If Phobetor only feeds on fear, then I have nothing to worry about. Illusions are simply that. Illusions.” 

“What about Seren?” Regis asked, attempting to put doubt in her mind. “She is only three years old and she needs you here, Luna.” 

Luna shook her head. “If she becomes Oracle, she will have to tread the same path as I one day. As you said she is only three, in years to come she won’t remember that I even left.” 

“Again, I don’t mean to take sides, but Lunafreya is correct.” Ardyn agreed. Well, little Seren shouldn’t remember a thing. The only people Ardyn knew who had a memory that stretched back as far as that was himself (because he cheated using Ifrit’s memories) Somnus because he forced himself to remember everything that had ever taken place and finally his own child, Prompto. Whatever Verstael did to his poor sunbeam made him have a fantastic memory. And before Regis or Somnus could throttle him for feeding Luna’s determination, Ardyn lifted a single finger and pointed it upwards to tell them he still had more to say. “But… it is still too dangerous to go on your own. If you must go, I insist you take at least two people with you. Preferably two people that are high up in the ranks, as I am certain His Royal Majesty of Tenebrae will expect no less for his little sister.” 

“Fine.” Luna sighed, turning to face her father-in-law. “Please Regis. I am not only doing this as a part of my duty, I am doing this to help get Noctis back. I have to do this.” 

All eyes were on Regis as the King fell into deep thought. Ardyn thought it a little cruel that Luna was using Noctis against him, although Regis did try to use Seren against her… swings and roundabouts he supposed. 

Regis rubbed his temple. “And there is no way to deter you from this?” 

“None.” Luna shook her head. 

“Alright. Grandfather? Please may I have the list to see who will be accompanying Luna on her mission?” 

Surprisingly, Somnus handed it over to Regis without even a mumble. Perhaps his brother thought it best he simply stayed out of this? That was probably it. Ardyn wanted to stay out of this too if he was completely honest. This was simply between father-in-law and daughter-in-law and the brothers should-

“Cor and Prompto.” 

Ardyn’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He quickly snatched the piece of paper out of Regis’s hands and read it for himself. It was there in black and white. Cor and Prompto were the next two high ranking officials to be deployed. Luna and Regis wanted to send the two most important people in Ardyn’s life out there in the darkness! Ardyn’s head could barely take one of them going out there but both of them at the same time! It wasn’t happening! 

“No.” Ardyn snapped. “They aren’t going. Send someone else.” 

“You know I can’t do that.” Regis reminded him, giving him a look of sympathy. “We can’t afford to mess up the rota, not even for this. If Luna is to go she will be taking Cor and Prom with her.”

Ardyn wanted to scream at her: ‘don’t go’. However, he was the only person in that room who knew how devoted and straining the burden of healing could be. He was the only person who actually had an understanding of where Luna was coming from with her need to leave and step into the so-called forest of fears. He did it himself once… Aera did it too… all the Oracle’s had done it… he knew Luna had to do it. But there was no way in hell he could let Cor and Prompto go. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t go, Lunafreya.” Somnus suggested, breaking Ardyn from his thoughts. Ardyn knew why Somnus was saying this it was for the same reason why Cor hadn’t left Insomnia in a while... the daemons weren’t being kind to his head at the moment. 

“But I-” Luna went to say but Ardyn interjected her. 

“No. Go. But if my husband and son are going, then so am I.” 

“No!” Regis and Somnus yelled in unison. 

“Uncle you are not doing that.” Regis said, fear seeping into his words. 

“I am not trying to be rude or insensitive here, but your head is a mess right now. Going into that forest will tear what sanity you have left to shreds.” Somnus pitched in, also fearful for Ardyn’s stupid plan and mental state. 

“If Cor and Prompto go into the darkness and I am not there to protect them, my head will turn to tatters anyway. Besides, Lunafreya needs all the protection she can get and if anyone is better suited to take on that daemon it’s the King of the Daemons, wouldn’t you agree?” 

The room fell silent. No one could argue with him. It didn’t stop Somnus from trying though. 

“What about the wall? If you are affected by Phobetor’s power, which we both know you are, your half could fall.” 

“Then I am going to have to be extra careful, won’t I? Lunafreya, we leave tomorrow.” Ardyn said bluntly, leaving to tell Cor and Prom the bad news. 

* * *

Ardyn ignored Cor when he said he was also very reluctant to allow Ardyn to tag along. Claiming that - just like Somnus had stated but in kinder words - it was not worth the risk of accidentally felling the wall or Ardyn losing the plot in the middle of nowhere. Ardyn cared little for all that nonsense because Cor’s and Prom’s safety was so much more important to him then his own health. When Cor wouldn’t stop pestering him, Ardyn pulled rank over Cor and told him whether he liked it or not he was going with them. Prom was also less excited then Ardyn had hoped about him joining them but he was glad that Luna had more protection and that was the attitude Ardyn had expected to see from his husband. 

Deciding it was safer to drive then poof - because no one trusted that he knew his own head at the moment - Ardyn took control of the wheel, leaving Cor in the passenger seat and both blondes in the back. Ardyn would have taken Cerbie too if Gladio hadn’t of stolen him for his own mission. Ardyn didn’t like the fact everyone had now claimed his,  _ his _ , dog as their own. The only people Cerbie didn’t go near now was Cid and Iris and that was because they scared the shit out of his poor baby. Quite literally. It was a nightmare to clean up. 

“How far is this forest anyway?” Prom asked, staring out of the car into the darkness. 

“The edge of Lucis.” Luna answered politely.

“Oh. So what do you want to do to pass the time?” Prom asked, before squealing in delight. “Is my childhood CD in here?! We could put that on!” 

“No!” Cor snapped, quickly ejecting the cursed thing and placing in the CD holder. “I have listened to that thing more than enough for one lifetime.” 

“Dad…” Prom whined, leaning on the back of Cor’s seat. “Dad, make dad put the CD back in the stereo.” 

“You aren’t five anymore Prompto. Whining no longer works on me.” Ardyn responded, ignoring his son’s whines as Luna laughed at the scene before her. 

“But what are we gonna do for four hours?” 

“How about asking dad what to expect with this daemon.” Cor suggested, getting comfortable in his seat. 

Ardyn nodded at his husband’s request before explaining just how cruel and nasty this fucker could be. This daemon didn’t just play with your worst fear, it made you live them and it dug right down in the darkest corners of the individual's heart, bringing up emotions the sufferer long thought were buried, never to resurface again. And that the daemon had been alive longer then both Ardyn and Somnus had and no one knew where it originated from. Killing it was impossible. The only way to beat it was to break away from your fear and in order to do that, they all had to think about what scared them the most and rationalise why they were scared and how to overcome their fears. Ardyn already knew 100% what he was going to be and he had been mentally preparing himself all night so he could whip past this daemon with ease and he knew exactly what Cor’s was going to be as well. Ardyn didn’t even need to look at his husband for it to be confirmed to him either. Cor’s was going to be coming face to face with Drautos again. Ardyn rested his hand on Cor’s knee and gave him a small smile for comfort as they continued on with the long drive. As for Prom and Luna’s though, Ardyn had no clue. Prom’s could be anything to his own reflection, to Verstael, to his eating disorder, to losing his family or to losing Ignis. Whereas for Lunafreya… well, it was probably the fall of her home or little Seren’s demise. After all, Ardyn’s was going to be witnessing Cor and Prom dying in front of him. It would not surprise him in the slightest if that was Luna’s, seeing her only child die. 

Finally, after hours of preparing they came to the edge of the forest. 

To begin with, no one dared move. They all looked into the thick trees of the forest and a sense of dread came over them. It was dark in there. Darker than it was standing in the world of ruin. That wasn’t the most unsettling thing about this place though. What put everyone on edge was that no one could hear a thing. No wind. No daemon shrieking. Nothing. It was silent. 

Dead silent.

“Probably safer if we stick together,” Cor said, quickly getting out of the car, trying his best to push down how unsettled he was. 

“Of course.” Luna nodded, following after the Marshal. “We only need to get to the heart of the forest for this rite to be successful. There I should be given more clarity.” 

“I certainly hope it is, Princess, because this is going to be one hell of a ride.” Ardyn sighed, locking his car before taking hold of Cor’s hand. 

“Oh okay cool! Stick together! Get to the middle! And then we’re done!” Prom chirped. 

“Yes, sunbeam! That about sums it up.” 

Luna and Prom went in first, much to Ardyn’s displeasure, but he knew Cor was still trying to prepare himself for what was to come. Ardyn held his husband’s hand a little tighter then before and kissed him on the cheek. 

“Don’t worry. I won’t let go of your hand once and nothing in that forest can harm us. It’s all tricks on the mind.” Ardyn promised. 

“Okay.” Cor nodded before letting out a very heavy breath. “Let’s go.” 

Ardyn smiled at Cor’s bravery and the pair walked into Phobeter’s Forest together, hand in hand.

They caught up with Prom and Luna relatively quickly and were relieved that they were both alright. A small chuckle left Ardyn as he heard Prom telling Luna about his trip across Lucis and how hopeless Noctis was at camping and that he managed to get the pair of them lost when they went for a wander in the woods next to their campsite. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Cor looking aimlessly around him as they walked into a clearing. 

Ardyn squeezed his hand. “You are alright, My Marshal.” 

“Yeah, I know…” Cor said, narrowing his eyes at the trees. “It… feels colder than when we were out of the forest.” 

“Does it? Sorry I can’t be of help in that department.” 

“It’s fine-” 

“DADS!!!” 

Ardyn and Cor immediately turned to see Prom and Luna being flung in opposite ends of the clearing at force. Before Ardyn knew it, Cor’s hand slipped out of his. He desperately tried to reach out for Cor but as he tried too he was flung at force far away from his husband. Ardyn managed to land on his feet, encircling his armiger around himself to defend his family from the being that had attacked them. He barely blinked and when he opened his eyes again, terror consumed him. 

Cor, Prompto and Lunafreya had all vanished and Ardyn was left all alone in the forest clearing. 


	2. Prompto's Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> Cause this fic is quite psychologically trippy I will try my best to post trigger warnings in the notes for these chapters. Just case you don't want to read certain chapters sections or you can just be mind full of them. 
> 
> TW: briefly, maybe two sentences, mentions body image and references eating disorders. 
> 
> Please enjoy :)

Prompto laughed, hooking an arm with Luna as they traverse through the forest, giving his dads a moment to themselves. On the outside Prom was trying to be his cheery self. Going into a place like this, there always needed to be the goofball to make things better, but on the inside, he was bricking it. When he listened to his dad explaining things in the car it forced Prom to really think what his worst fear was… No! He was not letting that daemon into his thoughts. He was going to fight through it and march on with his head held high and beat the fears that this forest brought. All of this was to help get Noct back after all. Speaking of Noct…

“Hey Luna, right before we went to Tenebrae and saved you, Noct got me and he lost in some woods.” 

“Oh, dear…” Luna gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. 

“Nah! It was fine! We weren’t even that far into the woods, right? And we kept going around in circles because Mr King of Light thought he knew best. It was pretty funny actually.” 

“Well, remind me never to go camping with him.” Luna said, worry turning into a smile. “Is he really that hopeless?”

“You bet!” Prompto laughed. “When it started to get dark we both freaked out but thankfully Gladio came and found us! I guess me and Noct are a little hopeless when left together.” 

“Perhaps my husband’s lack of common sense rubs off on you then? Because you have never appeared hopeless to me, Prompto.” 

“Yeah! I am down for blaming Noct!”

The pair burst out laughing. Oh how Prom wished Noctis was actually here. He would probably be trying, yet failing, to defend himself as he didn’t want to look bad in front of Luna. Prom knew Luna would never be able to see the bad in Noct. She was too kind for that. How could she find a fault in his best friend, after he had literally rescued her and been the hero in their own little fairytale. The fairytale wasn’t exactly going to have a nice ending but in the moment's that Luna and Noct shared it was perfect. It made Prom think of Ignis and how utterly amazing his boyfriend, or rather his fiance, was. Prom was so lucky to have Iggy-

Prom cut his own thoughts short as a cold wind came over him. 

Both him and Luna looked around, and Prom felt his heartbeat pick up. Something was not right. His fear spiked and he immediately turned around to the two people he knew would protect him no matter what, but when he saw his dads, he also saw dark shadows creeping up behind them. 

“DADS!!!!” 

Prompto screamed to alert them to the danger, yet he failed to miss the danger that he and Luna were currently in. 

In an instant, he felt something pick him up and throw him as far away from Luna as possible. He did try and reach out for the Oracle but it was no use, for she was already gone. Vanished into thin air. 

Suddenly he fell to the ground, landing on his butt, directly on some rocks. He grunted at the pain, trying to ignore it and move his head rapidly from side to side to see if he could catch a glimpse of Luna or one of his dads. He couldn’t. They had all gone, all three of them. What made matters worse was that Prom had no idea where he was. He was no longer in the clearing. The trees had become thicker and darker as they loomed around him, caging him. 

That was when the fear kicked in. 

Prom gulped because he knew what it meant when he was scared, he couldn’t use his daemonic powers. He couldn’t teleport to the safety of his dads or go to find Luna. He had never been able to teleport when he was scared and he was definitely feeling scared right now… 

“Dads?!” Prompto called out, carefully raising to his feet, because he knew he couldn’t stay here. Not on his own anyway. They were meant to stick together… “Luna?!”

No one called back. 

Prom was all alone.

Completely alone in a dark forest housed to a daemon that fed on fears. 

Prom shook his head, talking to himself out loud. “No, no time to be scared. I got to find the others.” 

Despite the anxiety creeping into the forefront of his mind, Prom pushed forward to what he assumed was towards the heart of the forest. That was where they were originally headed so he might as well go there, because the others would have a similar idea, being smarter then he was and all. That was what Iggy would tell him to do if he was here. The thought of his fiance made him smile a little. 

Prompto gasped. “Bingo! Keep thinking of Iggy, and I’ll make it through.”

Prompto told himself, ignoring the way he felt as he thought the tall and dark trees were staring at him. Ignoring the fact he thought he was being watched. Ignoring the fear that was riding up his spine as a thick fog started to nibble at his feet. He had to push on he had to make it to his dads and Luna. They had to regroup and stick together. Despite telling himself all of this, he could not ignore the fog that had started to rise. 

It was up to his waist now and it was thick, cold and wet. His trousers stuck to his skin and he couldn’t see what was beneath it. Growing more anxious, he trod carefully so he didn’t trip over any roots or rocks, being the clutz that he was, that was definitely a thing he would do. As he walked, the fog got higher and higher. It wormed its way up to his chest - which was now rising up and down at a fast pace - and crawled towards his neck. Feeling like he was about to suffocate under the pressure of it going over his eyes, Prom turned back around to see if he could find another way around, but it was too late for that. The thick fog coated his vision. He couldn’t see a thing. 

Breath shortening, heart-pounding and sweat building; Prompto screamed out into the forest. 

“DADS!!!” 

They didn’t respond. 

“DADDY!!!” Prom called tears building. He didn’t hear Cor running towards him or reply. His dad and never neglected his call before. 

“DADA!!!” Prom cried, knowing out of the pair of them Ardyn would be to able hear him the best. Yet again, his dad failed to appear. 

Stuttering as his fear heightened Prom called out again. “LUNA!!!”

Nothing. The Oracle didn’t appear. 

Shaking due to the coldness and fear, Prompto rested his hand on what he thought was a tree trunk and sunk to the ground. He brought his knees to his chest and held himself tightly, whispering in a voice littered with pain. “Ignis…” 

Like before, Ignis failed to show. 

He was alone. 

This was Prom’s worst fear. Being left behind with no one to turn to. No one to confide in when he was at his lowest. No one to give him a hug when he needed one. No one explained to him that he was perfect the way he was and that the things in his head telling him not to eat were telling him lies. 

_ “You know why they aren’t coming back for you, don’t you?” _

Prom jumped. That voice didn’t belong to anyone he knew, yet it sounded familiar and it ignited fear into his very soul. He stood up quickly, still unable to see and made a run for it. Adrenaline surged through him as he bashed into every tree, caught himself through every near trip and his breathing turned rapid as he ran as fast as he could. Terror had taken over him and he needed to find shelter. He needed to feel safe! No matter how fast he ran, the voice followed him. 

_ “Running off to your parents? Pathetic! Especially when they never wanted you in the first place.”  _

“Shut up!” Prompto shouted, still running. He knew that wasn’t true. It simply wasn’t true. 

_ “You were an experimental reject! Not even your creator wanted you! You are nothing! You will always be nothing and no one will ever want you!”  _

Now, Prompto knew who that voice belonged to. 

Verstael Basithia.

Scrunching his face up, Prompto yelled. “I am not scared of the dead!” 

_ “Oh I know. But you are scared of the living. You’re scared that no one will ever love and accept you, that you will get left behind. Guess what? No one loves you. Ardyn and Cor never wanted you. And as for Ignis Scientia… would he be better off without you? Without someone who slows him down and distracts him from getting your precious King back?”  _

Tears fell, but Prompto kept running, trying to block out those horrible words. 

_ “As for Noctis… he is going to murder Ardyn. That’s not a sign he cares, and he never cared for you.”  _

Prompto gritted his teeth together, shaking his head, refusing to slow down. He had to keep moving he had to ignore what was being said-

THUD!

Prompto yelped as he suddenly came in contact with a tree trunk and he fell backwards, staring up into the fog ridden forest. He felt dizzy and his head started to spin as he dare not try and sit up. Slowly, he raised his hand to his forehead and he could feel a trickle of something warm down his face. He couldn’t see his hand but he knew it was blood. 

“Just my luck.” Prompto sighed in pain. 

Prompto didn’t know if it was the fact he had just smacked his head or if he was really seeing things, but the fog started to fade and something much more terrifying came into his line of vision. Verstael Basithia was looming over him- No! It wasn’t him! It must be the daemon taking his form. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how terrified Prom felt he couldn’t move. He was still recovering from smacking into that tree.

“Stupid boy!” The daemon spat in Verstael’s voice. “Running solves nothing. Who would you run to anyhow? As I said before no one wants you.” 

“You’re wrong…” Prom said weakly, staring at the engagement ring on his finger. “Ignis wants me…” 

The Daemon let out a cruel laugh. “Yes, so much so that he has postponed your wedding! If he truly loved you, he would marry you tomorrow, not wait until the King of Light returns. He cares more about the prophesied King than he will ever care about you.” 

Prompto choked on his tears. That cut deeper than any knife ever could because… that was all what had been going through his mind since they agreed to wait for Noct before tying the knot. Did Ignis really want to marry him? Did he really not care about their relationship at all? With all these questions and none of them being answered it was leading Prom down a dark road again. One where he was slowly starting to convince himself that it was none of those reasons… He was slowly coming to the ungodly thoughts of his body image again- 

Wait a second! 

The daemon hadn’t mentioned that. It hadn’t said what he was truly most afraid of yet! 

Coming to the realisation, Prompto forced himself up, groaning at the pain in his head and gave the daemon the middle finger. “Piss off!” 

The daemon’s eyes glowed before it suddenly combust into flames. 

Prompto didn’t cover his eyes; he watched it burn and turn to ash. As the ash settled around him, everything became so much clearer. The fog had all but completely vanished and the forest didn’t look so dark now.

“Huh?” Prompto pounded, carefully standing up due to the throbbing pain in his head. “Might have to use that more often. Now to find my dads and Luna.” 

Head held high, Prompto continued on his way and he was not bothered by the daemon again. 


	3. Lunafreya's Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so updating this again! I hope you all enjoy what Luna fears the most! 
> 
> TW: Verbal abuse (to a certain extent) and slut-shamming.

Luna brushed some of the dirt off her dress and grumbled when she realised it was stained. Why did she always choose to wear white?! From the bottom of her long dress, running up on her left side to her armpit was a side mark of mud where she had landed after she was forced to another section of the forest. She let out a sigh and made a mental note to wear more of the traditional Caelum attire. Seren wore it and Luna had been married into their family for more than 3 years, she might as well embrace it. The Oracle tucked her hair behind her ear, that had fallen out of its braid when she was forced to the floor, trying to ignore her long hair that was now flowing down her back also covered in mud. She took a moment to take in her surroundings and she was alone. She had expected no less. After Ardyn had said they were leaving the following day, the Oracle had done some research on the Daemon in question. What she read unsettled her. Phobeter was a forced to be reckoned with. Some people who stepped foot into his forest didn’t always come out with sanity intact. She had read this one case study where an individual had to be admitted to a mental institution for the horrors they were exposed to. And another, a group of teenagers ran into the forest, unfazed by the danger and all six of them were split up and forced to suffer alone until they managed to find their way back out again. Unfortunately, two were admitted to hospital for their mental state, three of them refused to speak of their experiences and the final one ordered for the reigning monarch of Lucis at the time to build a wall around the forest so no one would have to suffer again. He didn’t get his wish but he wrote his experiences down in a book, which Luna couldn’t find, but it proved to her that this Daemon was going to be tough to handle. However, it did nothing to faze her because it was her duty to her husband - the King of Light - to protect and guide him to safety. She had to do this for Noctis and consequently for their little star. 

“This is for them.” She said to herself. 

Luna took one step forward and all of a sudden it started to rain. 

It didn’t just rain though, it poured. 

The raindrops were so big they were jumping off the muddy ground a good couple of feet in the air. The ground beneath her turned sticky, and her boots started to sink into it. Still, she pushed on, dragging her feet through the mud as the rainwater shielded her vision. 

She knew this was the daemon’s power. For the Oracle had also read that Phobetor liked to play with the weather to confuse and scare his victims. Well, it wasn’t going to work on her. What was rain anyway? A source of water that could do her no harm. Well… unless there was a sudden landslide but they were nowhere near any large banks or hillsides. Nope, for the time being, she would just have to get soaked. 

She kept pushing onwards, the bottom of her dress ruined beyond repair by mud and where it kept getting caught and shredded by rocks. And she was having to constantly push back her long sopping wet hair out of her face. She really needed to keep more hair ties on her person or cut her damned hair. Why did the daemon put her through this torture?! 

She huffed and puffed her discontentment for the situation away until she came across a clearing. It wasn’t the same clearing as the one she was flung away from but at least she could stop and try and get her bearings. If she could see the sky through this torrential rain she would read the stars to help guide her through this place. But alas, she had to work it out on thought and sense alone. She could do this. She could do this. 

“Luna?” 

The Oracle gasped recognising the voice instantly, but it couldn’t be could it? 

Slowly turning around she came face to face with him… her husband?!

“Noctis…” Luna gasped, breathing going ragged, frozen to the spot. 

“Luna... My Moon and Stars... is that really you??!!” He smiled back, walking towards her looking as if he was on cloud nine with how overjoyed he appeared. 

“Stay back!” Luna ordered, placing her hand out in front of her, mind racing with confusion and caution. 

Noctis stopped and gave her a bewildered look. “Luna… what? It’s me! Aren’t you happy to see me? I’ve missed you so much!” 

Luna shook her head, taking a step away from him. “You can’t be Noctis. He’s trapped in the crystal, you’re not… you’re not him. You’re not my husband.”

“I am! I promise! You’re My Moon and Stars remember?” Noctis, or whoever this was, said getting teary-eyed. “And I am your dear Noctis. It’s me! I swear, I swear on my dad’s life it’s me.” 

“No. No it can’t be-” 

“I’ll prove it. Ummm… you came here to get more clarity right? That is what released from me the crystal. I have been fighting so hard to get back to you. I love you, Luna. Your love for me allowed me to come back. Believe me?” 

Luna gulped as she allowed his words to set in. 

He sounded like her husband, he looked like her husband. But was he? Was it really her Noctis? 

Knowing she wouldn’t be able to tell from this distance, she edged closer toward him looking into his eyes. They were the same midnight blue ones that she fell in love with, the same eyes her daughter shared with her father. She looked up and noticed his hair was the same jet black, be that a little wet and flat from the rain, she could tell that he had put spray in it. Breathing shortening, she took another step closer and carefully inspected his hand. He was wearing his wedding ring… feeling a sense of security wash over her, she gently placed her hand in his… his touch… it felt the same. Exactly the same…

“Noctis?” She cried, eyes glassing over. “My Noctis, could it really be you.”

“Yeah.” He nodded with a small whisper, squeezing her hand gently. “It’s me… My Moon and Stars.” 

She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a gigantic hug. She cries hardened when she felt him return the embrace. She couldn’t believe it! It was him! It was really him, her Noctis. Her husband was back! 

“I’ve missed you.” She cried into his shoulder. 

“I’ve missed you too.” He replied, before pulling away from her. He grabbed hold of her hand and smiled. “Come on, let me take you to the heart of the forest, so you can complete your mission.” 

She nodded, loving how warm his hand felt in hers. She dare not let it go. They were finally together again. And as they walked, she rested her head on his shoulder, tears still streaming down her face. Because the rain had nearly all but stopped, she couldn’t hide them, nor did she want to. They were happy tears and she would never hide how she was feeling in front of him. Never. 

“So… how have you been?” He asked, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. 

“Missing you.” Luna replied softly.

“Yeah? Same here. It’s been pretty lonely in the crystal.”

“Oh, my darling… You won’t ever be lonely again.” Luna promised, smiling at him as he gave her a cheeky grin. 

“Good. Anyway, have you been keeping dad company? I can’t wait to see him.”

“He can’t wait to see you either. He will be so relieved to know you are back. He’s been so worried about you. We all have...” 

“And I have been worried about you all too.” Noctis said, halting making the pair stop. “In the darkness… daemons and the gods, I thought I might lose you Luna.” 

“You haven’t.” Luna promised, catching her husband’s hand as he cupped her cheek. “You will never lose me.” 

“I love you.” 

“I love you too.” Luna smiled, leaning forward as she noticed Noctis was edging towards her. So desperate to brush her lips against his after all these years- She gasped, immediately pulling away from him; quickly taking a silver locket off her neck before forcing it into his hands. “I have to tell you something. It’s really important.”

“What? What is it?” He asked, worry seeping into his tone. 

“Open the locket.” Luna said, watching attentively as Noctis did so. Because inside that locket was a picture of them on their wedding day on one side and on the other a picture of Seren. Their little star. She could finally tell him about Seren. When he looked up at her, confused painting every inch of his face, she let out a small laugh. “That little girl is called Seren. It turns out before you left… I was pregnant. And she is our daughter. She is your daughter, Noctis.”

She watched as he looked down at the locket again. He didn’t say anything he just continued to stare. Luna thought this behaviour acceptable. After all, it must be quite a shock for him, it was a shock for her when she found out; she could only imagine what was going through his head. As the silence dragged on, Luna began to feel unease. Tension started to pile up in her chest and she became concerned. 

_ Why wasn’t he speaking?  _

She cleared her throat and decided to give him a little nudge. “Noctis… I understand that this is a lot to take in-” 

“You bitch.” 

Completely stunned by the pure venom behind his words, Luna’s mouth went dry. What did he just call her? But the only word she could get out was a very small: “Pardon?” 

“She’s not mine.” Noctis stated, angrily throwing the locket on to the ground. “You cheated on me!” 

“What?!” Luna gasped, frantically shaking her head. “No! No, I would never!” 

“Well, she ain’t my kid! So who is she’s, Luna?!” 

“Yours!” Luna cried back, eyes welling up with hot tears as her husband stared at her with all the hatred in the world. “She is your daughter!” 

“No she isn’t! When is her birthday?!”

“What-” 

“TELL ME HER BIRTHDAY!” 

Luna jumped at his sudden scream. Fear started to run through her entire being and her hands began to shake as more tears fell. She had never seen him like this before and it terrified her. “May the 16th!” 

“There we have it!” Noctis yelled, throwing his arms in the air as he backed away from her. “She is a month later then she should have been if I was her dad! It didn’t take you long to move on, did it!” 

“I haven’t moved on!” Luna cried back, head spinning with terror at her husband's behaviour and lack of trust and faith in her. She would never-

She jumped again as he aggressively clapped directly in front of her face, making her heart pound faster then it had before. 

“Who is the dad?! Is it Gladio?! Or one of the servants! You stupid unfaithful bitch! Do you really expect me to believe in this bull crap!” 

“It’s none of that. I promise you she is our daughter!” 

“Have you got dad believing that too?! I bet you have. That is why you married me, isn’t it?! So you could rule Lucis because Tenebrae got destroyed! You have your precious bastard child sit the throne!” 

Luna was left speechless, choking on tears and fearful for her husband, She was actually scared of him. He was completely consumed by hate and anger and he didn’t believe a word she was saying. 

“You know what Luna I fell in love with you when I was 16! I saved you from Tenebrae! I married you too keep you safe and this is how you repay me?! Repay my family?! By getting knocked up by some random twat!” 

“I didn’t…” Luna wept, barely being able to see anything through her tears, hiccuping out her words. “I would never- I could never- Noctis please! I love you too. I fell in love with you when I was 22! And I have looked at no man since! Please?! Please believe me?!” 

“NEVER!!” Noctis roared, breaking the Oracle's heart in two. He went right up in her face and spoke harshly as he stared down at her. “You are a fucking lying whore. I wish I’d never saved you. I wished I’d never married you. And that little girl, when I get back home I am telling everyone the truth!”

“SHE IS YOURS!” Luna screamed back. 

Despair covering all her thoughts as she stared into her husband’s deep blue eyes. 

That was when she noticed it. The small hint of gold dancing in the backs of them. 

She shook her head and backed away slowly. “You’re not Noctis. My husband would never shout at me like this…” 

“Don’t be so fucking stupid woman! Of course, I am Noctis!” 

“Really?” Luna said, taking in some deep breaths before pointing towards his right hand. “Where’s the Ring of the Lucii then?” 

Just like that Noctis vanished without a trace. 

Exhaling sharply, Luna fell to her knees shaking with absolute fear as she fumbled around for the silver locket the daemon - that had taken her husband’s form - had disregarded. That daemon had got inside her head and showed her exactly what she feared above all else, Noctis not believing Seren was his. She was his! She was their little star! And the worst part of it all, there was every chance he wouldn’t believe her. She was a month late after all so the dates didn’t exactly match, but she would never do that. She would never throw away her love for Noctis, not now, not ever. 

The Oracle clutched the locket and held it close to her heart. 

She knew from now, right up until the day she had the real Noctis in her arms, she was going to be worried and fearful of this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out my brain decided to write their fears in age order so that means Cor's is next!


	4. Cor's Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ummm... this probably has the most trigger warnings in the entire fic... so I hope you wanted angst tonight? 
> 
> TW: Character death (kinda not really cause it doesn't actually happen), Alcoholism/References to Alcohol Abuse (again doesn't actually take place just all in his head). 
> 
> But there is NO direct reference or implied to rape. 
> 
> With that all said and done, here you go!

“He’s dead.” Cor repeated to himself, for what seemed like the 100th time walking through these bloody freezing woods alone; trying to locate his husband, son or the Oracle. “He’s dead. Ardyn killed him. Regis, Clarus and Somnus saw the body and confirmed it. He’s dead. Not coming back. He’s dead.”

The frosty snow crunched under his feet and his teeth started to chatter, still pushing onwards, eyes focused straight ahead of him. He was not going to let himself be frightened by this daemon. He was not going to allow himself to show any form of weakness in its presence. He was ‘Cor the Immortal’ and everyone thought him brave. He had to be brave right now. He had to keep going despite the cold, despite the constant fear he had of running into that man and not having Ardyn here to protect him. He could do this. He would do this because he wasn’t allowed to be scared of the dead anymore. He wouldn’t let himself be. He wrapped his arms around himself, placing his hands under his armpits, shivering from the cold - and a hint of fear - as the darkness surrounded him. He wasn’t like Ardyn. The dark didn’t give him a sense of comfort, it only brought dread of what lurked in the shadows. Who knew what was going through his son’s head right now? How scared was Prom without him or Ardyn there to help, comfort him or tell him whatever he was seeing was all a lie? Or even Ardyn for that matter? Because Cor wasn’t there, there would be no one to calm him down and promise him everything was going to be okay- 

_ Clunk!  _

Cor stopped walking as he kicked something with his shoe. He looked down, hands still numb from the cold, before bending down to get a better look at what he had kicked. 

His eyes went wide and to his horror, it was an empty bottle of whisky.

Cor subconsciously retreated from it and breathed out heavily unable to take his eyes away from it.  _ What? What the hell was that doing all the way out here? _ Cor questioned himself as more snow started to fall around him. The clear bottle glistened in a bed of snow and it was covered by a thin layer of ice.  _ How long had it been here for? _ The small flakes of white, dancing in the chil wind distracted him from the glass bottle and forced him to look straight ahead. He gulped. More bottles were ahead of him, all of them empty, covered in ice, laid out like a breadcrumb trail going deeper into the trees. Cor narrowed his eyes. No one came into these woods, everyone was too afraid to step foot in here, let alone drink in here. The Marshal grew curious, and for some reason, completely unbeknown to him, Cor felt compelled to follow the trail.

Dread curled in his stomach as one foot fell in front of the other. His face - despite the freezing cold temperatures - began to heat up as he marched on. And as he kept moving forward, he began to hear something, something more than just the howling of the cold wind. It sounded like a person… like someone was choking-

Adrenaline rushed through him, and his slow walk started to turn into a jog. He couldn’t help it, if someone was in trouble he had to do something to help! For all, he knew it could be either Prom or Ardyn who needed aid. His jog turned into a run, following along the line of the disregarded bottles on the forest floor; and as he drew closer to the person - who sounded like they were in distress - the choking turned into sharp and distraught sobs. 

Someone was crying? 

Horror clouded his mind as he recognised those cries. 

He stopped running, pace turning back into a slow walk as the crying no longer belonged to one person, it belonged to two. Two voices that Cor knew better than anyone else. Breathing going short, Cor inched around a massive tree, eyes going wide when the forms of his husband and son came into view.

They were both sitting on the floor, Ardyn was cradling something in his arms as Prompto had his head buried in Ardyn’s shoulder; both of them unable to stop the tears from flowing. Cor shook his head, trying to get closer to them to give them both comfort, but he was stopped by an invisible wall. 

Fear crawling up his spine, Cor hit the wall and shouted at the pair of them: “Prom! Ardyn!” 

They didn’t hear him, they sat there in the snow crying, sitting around glass bottles-

Cor’s entire body started to shake and that was when he finally looked at what - or rather who - Ardyn and Prom were crying over. 

It was him! 

Cor choked on air as he saw his dead body laying in Ardyn’s arms! He shook his head in denial, slamming his fists against the invisible wall, screaming at his family to tell them that this wasn’t true.

“ARDYN! PROMPTO! I AM HERE! I’M ALRIGHT!!! LISTEN TO ME!!!”

His shouts fell on death ears. No matter how loud he shouted, or how hard he screamed they couldn’t hear him. They couldn’t hear him. 

“PROMPTO!!!” Cor screamed again, his son didn’t look up from his dada’s shoulder. 

“ARDYN!!!” And his husband refused to move his head from his dead body. 

Cor looked more closely at his dead body, his skin was yellow… his lips were blue and he could see streams of sick and blood drying on his chin. 

“My Marshal…” Ardyn wept, cradling him and tears fell on his face. “I am so sorry… I am so sorry!” 

Cor felt tears form in his eyes…  _ had Ardyn accidently killed him? _

No! Ardyn could never do that! Ever! Cor was about to scream again and tell him just that but that was when he noticed what was in his listless hand. An empty bottle of vodka…

“No…” Cor whispered, breathing turning hysterical, tears streaming down his face as it finally dawned on him what must have happened. “NO! NO!!” 

“I am so sorry… I am so sorry I let this happen, my darling, I am so sorry.” 

“Dada…” Prompto whimpered, finally raising his head from Ardyn’s shoulder. His eyes were red as raw. “He can’t- he can’t hear you. He’s dead.” 

“NO PROM! I’M NOT!” 

Ardyn sobbed harder, brushing his fingers against his lifeless cheeks. “My Marshal… I am sorry I didn’t notice! I am so sorry I didn’t stop you before… before it was too late... Cor! COR!!!”

“ARDYN!” Cor screamed, punching the wall with all his might he even started to kick at it to get their attention. “I’M ALIVE! IT’S NOT REAL!!! LISTEN TO ME!!!” 

“Dad… just… leave him.” Prompto whimpered. 

“I can’t…” Ardyn’s voice broke as his face broke down. “I can’t- he- he- he-”

“Dad! Stop it!” Prompto ordered. “He did this to himself. He did this to us. This isn’t our fault, it’s his.” 

Cor’s mind went blank and he stopped hitting the wall. He stopped breathing for a moment.  _ What? What did Prom just say? _

“If he loved us more than the bottle dad, he’d still be here.” 

Ardyn shook his head, grief consuming him, not diverting his eyes away from his ‘dead’ husband. “That’s not true… it’s my fault. I should have known… I should have- have- stop him. I am so sorry Prom. I am so sorry I didn’t…” 

“Dad! Just stop it! Just stop it!” 

“No!!!” Cor shouted again, leaning against the wall, trying to break through; he could sense an argument about to start between the pair. “I am alive! It’s a trick! It’s a trick-” 

Cor cut himself off as the wall suddenly disappeared and he fell face-first into the snow. He ignored the frostbite on his nose. He stuttered looking up, desperate to tell them it wasn’t true! That he was alive, but he was denied the chance. Ardyn and Prompto had disappeared, the only things that laid before him were his own dead body and bottles scattered everywhere. Completely lost for words, he gingerly rose to his hands and knees, shaking as he stared at the horrific sight before him... and he’d never felt so scared in his life. 

Because that could happen!  _ That _ , laying in the snow in front of him, could be his future. If he wasn’t strong enough, if he wasn’t brave enough, he could leave both his son and husband behind because of his stupid dangerous addiction. He didn’t want that! He never wanted that to happen! Cor wept, pounding his fist into the white snow! How could he let that happen! 

“I told you, you are weak.” 

Cor stiffened. 

_ FUCK!! Not him!  _

“Look at that, you drank yourself to death. Pathetic, you know that, right?” 

Cor forced himself to his feet, legs wobbling as he slowly turned his neck towards him. He knew he’d see him. He knew Drautos would come back to haunt him. 

“Shut up.” Cor managed to say, briefly sparing a glance at where his dead body was. It - like Ardyn and Prom - had disappeared. “You’re dead. You’re not here.”

Drautos laughed. “You’re dead too. You drank yourself to death. I  _ am _ here.” 

“No. I am not scared of you anymore. I am not.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.” Cor nodded. “Because I already saw what I fear the most. You are just here to try and make-believe that it is true. It’s not. Now, leave me alone. Go back into the woods where you fucking came from, daemon.” 

Drautos narrowed his eyes, shrugging slightly. “It was worth a shot, wasn’t it?” 

“No, but this is.” Cor said sternly, swiftly summoning his katana and forcing through it ‘Drautos’s’ heart. 

Blood splattered all over the forest floor, turning the snow crimson. Cor stared into his eyes as the thing in front of him gasping for air. Cor knew it was the daemon but that felt fucking satisfying! Cor removed the katana from the body and watched as the thing fell to the ground, still using the dead traitor’s form. 

“You know…” Cor said with poise. “There is one thing I regret about your death. That was I wasn’t the one that killed you. And now I have no regrets over it. So Phobetor, I guess I should say thank you for letting me have that. But by no means does this mean Ardyn is going to be any less pissed off with you.” 

The Marshal let out a sigh when Drautos’s form disappeared and the cold and snow started to fade, along with the bottles.

Cor wasn’t going to think about that ever again. He was never going to let that happen! Ever! He was stronger than that! He was braver than that and above all else he was determined to never allow that to happen! Ever! 

Flexing his muscles, Cor decided there and then he had had enough of these bloody trees. He went to the tallest tree closest to him and began to climb it. Using his katana he cut down the branches that got in his way, forcing himself to the top. If years of experience had taught him anything it was that getting a better understanding of your surroundings mostly led to success. The cold wind got a little stronger the further he climbed, but it didn’t bother him. It bothered him even less when he did make it to the top because now he could see the entire forest. He scanned the area with his eyes until he noticed a rather big clearing. 

“Guessing that’s the centre.” Cor muttered to himself, briefly glancing around to see if he had gotten his assumption correct. “Well better get going.” 

The climb down seemed faster than the way up and he quickly hurried through the trees to the spot. He didn’t have another interaction with Phobeter again. To be fair, he may have scared the daemon shitless with the threat of Ardyn, yeah that was probably it. 

When he finally made it to the centre, he came across a sight that filled him with such relief and joy. Standing on the other edge of the clearing he saw the unmistakable blonde hair of his son! 

“PROMPTO!” Cor called out, running at top speed to get to him. He knew for certain this wasn’t another trick because since entering this forest he hadn’t felt so safe and happy. 

“DAD!!! DADDY!!!!” 

Cor continued to sprint as Prom met him in the middle and they shared a much-needed hug. All the tension in his chest left him as he held his son close and rocked him from side to side.

“Oh Prom! I’ve got you.” Cor promised, kissing the top of his head. 

“Dad! Are you okay?” He asked, as always not caring about himself, yes this was 100% his and Ardyn’s little sunbeam. 

“Yeah, don’t worry about me. Are you okay? You’re not upset or anything?” 

“I am fine. But… I did run into a tree.” Prom laughed, refusing to move from the safety of Cor’s hold. 

Cor immediately loosened his grip and made Prom look at him. He had a nasty cut on his head and his forehead was still covered in blood, although the wound looked as if it had stopped bleeding.

“Sorry, mate, dad has all the potions. But we will get you fixed in no time.” Cor said, trying to forget the pang of anger that struck him seeing his baby boy hurt. 

“It’s fine. Speaking of which, have you seen either dad or Luna?” 

“No.” 


	5. Ardyn's Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Ardyn's fear!!! 
> 
> There aren't any major trigger warnings in this... unless you count attempted murdered? But other then that... no I can't think of any... 
> 
> Please enjoy XD

“Come on you fucker!” Ardyn shouted into the darkness. “I know what you are going to show me! Do it already!” 

His fear was obvious. 

It was Cor and Prom dying before him or by his hand. 

That was the entire reason why he so wanted to come along, so he could prevent anything like that from happening; and he knew with absolute certainty seeing something as horrific as that happening in this forest was merely a trick. It would still hurt like hell, but he would be able to ignore it to the best of his ability and hopefully lesser the daemon's powers on the others. He could imagine the horrors his family were currently experiencing, so the quicker he got to them the better it would be for his own peace of mind and safer for everyone else. But the forest remained silent. Phobetor was not making himself known to Ardyn and that only ignited his rage. 

“Phobetor!!!” Ardyn yelled, venom edging his tone. “As the Adagium, I order you to show yourself!!!” 

“If you insist, Your Majesty.”

Ardyn rolled his eyes as the daemon did in fact appear in front of him. However, it was taking a form it had no right to wear. His brother’s. 

Ardyn growled. “Stop using Somnus against me!” 

Phobetor laughed in Somnus’s voice. “Why? He is ever so fun to be! Even though you love and forgive him, there is still a hint of resentment and fear that lingers on within you. I love it.” 

“What do you think I am going to do?! Do you think I will lose myself in fear?! I know for a fact Somnus would never hurt Prompto or Cor! You are just wasting your energy.” 

“Perhaps… but you fell for it before, Your Majesty.”

Ardyn snarled. His last interaction with this daemon was over 100 years ago. Mors’s father thought that they could try and convert Phobetor into helping with the war efforts against Niflheim and sent Ardyn to try and reason with it. The end result was not a happy one. It ended with blood and Ardyn exploding in a fear-induced rage. Phobetor had taken Somnus’s form then. He had used his brother and manipulated Ardyn into thinking they were going to ship him back into the darkness because he was nothing but a monster! A bloodthirsty beast that would kill everyone on sight. This time… Ardyn was not going to let this daemon win. For he was the one who would come out victorious. No amount of illusions or fear-driven trauma would deny him of that. 

“I won’t this time.” Ardyn said with certainty. 

“How can you be so sure?” Phobetor asked mockingly. “I may be a daemon and dance around to whatever the Adagium says, but why is it that you have never tried to control me? Why is it, in 2000 years, you let me wander free, feeding off fears while every other daemon suffers under your ‘moral’ rule?”

Ardyn waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t have time to entertain you. I am going to find my son and husband.” 

Ardyn stomped passed the form of his brother, very tempted to shove him in the chest so he would fall to the ground, but Ardyn knew better than that. Because what Phobetor said was true. He was the only daemon Ardyn let do his own thing. There were many reasons why, but the one Ardyn told himself was that if he allowed one daemon, one daemon that never physically harmed a soul to wander free, he was being morally kind to his species. All the daemons were him after all, and he could hear their tortured souls constantly begging him to let them free. Let them wreck havoc and do what they were born to do! Destroy and murder! Ardyn wouldn't allow that, even if the pain of their cries burnt his head nearly every day. And in letting Phobetor free… in a way. it cleared his conscience for all daemon kind suffering.

“I wouldn’t go that way if I were you.” Somnus’s voice rang in his ears. 

Ardyn yelled, still walking ahead. “I told you to drop my brother’s form!” 

“And I am telling you going down there is a stupid idea!” 

“Of course it is! When is stepping into your forest ever a good idea?!”

“It’s my forest now! I am truly honoured, Your Majesty.” 

“Fuck off!” 

Ardyn shouted, having enough of this insolence. And like magic the voice of his brother stopped and Ardyn could no longer feel Phobetor’s presence. 

“Good riddance.” 

Ardyn was seriously about to change his mind in letting that daemon loose. Phobetor was really starting to grind his gears and one more interaction like that - especially if he took Somnus’s form again, no one used his brother against him - Ardyn was ready to blow. 

Ardyn looked around the forest, heading towards the heart of it, and he was a little confused. Phobetor loved to change the environment to confuse and strike fear into his victims, why wasn’t he doing it to him? The forest looked and felt the same. There was no strong wind, or snow, or hail, or even sunlight to piss Ardyn off. Well, the sunlight was an obvious choice not to put him through because Ardyn would know for sure then it was a trick, but still… What game was this fear-inducing daemon playing? Or maybe this was the trick? Maybe because Ardyn knew what to expect, Phobetor was playing with his senses by not changing anything at all? It was a very  _ him  _ thing to do. Gods, he couldn’t wait for the dawn to come back now. Phobetor would be lost like the rest of the daemons and that would be it. No more playing tricks or feeding on the fear of innocence-

Ardyn halted. 

All the daemons would be gone… that included Cerberus! 

His precious deadly dog was going to burn like the rest of them once he had died! 

Actual tears started to form at the thought, he hadn't even considered that notion until today. He hadn’t even thought about the implications that was going to have on his husband’s and son’s mental health, well everyone! Everyone loved his dog and now… he was going to die… 

“Cerbie…” Ardyn whispered, feeling his heartbreak. 

No, as soon as they got back, Cerberus was getting all the attention from Ardyn - he’d have to wait until Gladio got back from his mission though - and give him all the love and hugs and treats in the world. Hell, Ardyn would even take the dog out hunting daemons for fun. He needed all the love-

_ SNAP! _

Ardyn wiped his head to the left of him, the sound of a branch breaking pulling him away from these horrible heartbreaking thoughts. Although, his caution suddenly minimised as he assumed it was Phobetor stalking him for shits and giggles. Figures, he knew Phobetor wouldn’t leave him alone for long. 

“Very funny, you can come out now, I know you are there.” Ardyn sang, danger hanging on to his tone. 

However, who emerged from the trees was not the daemon, it was in fact his husband. 

Ardyn let go a gasp of relief, and a smile as bright as the day appeared on his face. Thank Eos he had found him! Of course, Ardyn had no idea what Cor had been exposed to or even if Phobetor had gotten to him yet, but they were together and Ardyn could comfort him if anything had happened. Then they could look for Prompto and Luna together! 

“Darling!” Ardyn called out stepping forward with his arms out wide to give Cor a massive hug. “I have been so worried-” 

“Who the fuck are you calling darling?!” 

Ardyn’s brain stopped and he had to physically stop himself from moving any closer too, as his husband’s katana was now mere inches away from his throat. 

Ardyn had to blink a few times to know that he wasn’t imagining things. Cor was threatening him! What the hell? Ardyn stared into his husband’s eyes just to be sure it was indeed Cor and not Phobetor, and… it was. There was no gold in Cor’s eyes at all... 

“What?” Ardyn whispered in disbelief. 

“I am not your darling!” Cor snat, slowly walking in a circle around him, katana still pointed at his throat. “Who the fuck do you think you are, calling me that, Adagium?!” 

“Cor… I am your husband!” Ardyn shouted, very confused. Then he remembered that Phobetor’s illusions were enough to drive people to the brink of insanity… was that what had happened? Ardyn didn’t even have time to be angry as he raised his hands up to prove he wasn’t a threat.  _ What the fuck had that daemon done to his Marshal? _ In a calm voice he tried to bring him around. “Cor, snap out of this. This isn’t you.” 

Cor scoffed with disgust. “Ha! Good one. Like I would ever marry the daemon that destroyed my home and had a hand in killing my brothers!” 

Ardyn’s eyes flashed with fear and his heart broke upon hearing those harsh words. He started to slowly shake his head as his mind raced trying to keep up with whatever Cor was saying. That never happened! That… that… Cor was referring to what Shiva showed him… No! That wasn’t who he was! He wasn’t a monster! He wasn’t that and none of that ever took place. 

When Ardyn spoke, his words buckled with fear. “Cor, that- that- didn’t happen-” 

“Enough!” Cor shouted, edging the blade just that little bit closer to him. “Tell me how to get Noctis back. I know you can’t die, but I don’t have a problem with slitting your throat.” 

Ardyn gasped, unable to think as he knew that voice. Cor was being deadly serious… he’d kill him… he thought him a monster… 

“Cor I-” 

“You what?” Cor interjected him. “Aren’t going to tell me? Did I offend you by calling you Adagium? Would you prefer to be called Chancellor?”

“No! I am not that man!” Ardyn shouted, feeling his hands begin to shake as those horrible visions of that evil form of himself torturing and harming Prompto… of that evil nasty daemonic side of him descending into madness, uncaring and unfeeling to everything that wasn’t anger or suffering. That wasn’t him! “I am your husband and I love you!” 

“You’re fucking delusional! I don’t know what game you are playing but I am not playing it anymore!” Cor roared, eyes burning with blue fire.

“I’ll prove it!” Ardyn shouted as he saw the katana being pulled back. 

Fuck! 

Cor was actually going to kill him! He was convinced he was… that man, the man he was meant to become… tears threatening to fall, Ardyn phased back a little, barely missing the blade that his husband thrush towards. He knew then that Cor was not willing to listen, but he had to try! He had to try and convince him he wasn’t that Bahamut wanted him to be!

“You like people playing with your hair, but you don’t want anyone to know because you think it makes you look weak!” 

“You’re a creepy stalker as well are you!” Cor shouted, eyes roaring with fire now. 

“No! I know that because we are married! Your parents, you hate them because they neglected you! That is why you are closed off, because you don’t ever want to be neglected again by the people you love! That was why you didn’t call Cid your dad for years!”

Cor growled. “SHUT UP!” 

Ardyn quickly summoned his weapon and just about managed to defend himself and block Cor’s attack as he slammed the katana down forcefully. Ardyn was crying now as he stared into the blue eyes of his husband, inches apart by steel and one's hatred for the other… Cor hated him? No… Cor loathed him. It broke his heart. 

“Cor…” Ardyn said breathlessly, “Please? Please listen to me? I am your husband. We have a son. Prompto!” 

Ardyn watched as Cor’s face hardened and put more pressure on the weapons. “Prompto is not my son.” 

“Yes he is! You saved him! You rescued him from Niflheim!” Ardyn said, hoping that would jog Cor’s memory back in place. 

“Yeah and you tortured him!” Cor screamed. “You beat him! And broke him!” 

“No… I didn’t! That’s not me! That’s not who I am! I am not the Chancellor! I am your Ass Hat!” Ardyn yelled back, feeling sick swirl around in his stomach. “I didn’t- I would never hurt him. I love him. Like I love you. And Cor, I love you so much I am the only one that knows when you tap your foot, you're nervous. Your leg usually shakes but you put it to the tap of the foot so you don’t worry anyone. But I know. I know you're hurting when that happens. I know all this because I really love you.” 

“I don’t love you!” 

Ardyn gave up then. He dropped his weapon, completely open for a strike. Those words shattered his heart into a million pieces and he didn’t care anymore. Because if he didn’t have Cor’s love, or Prom’s, nothing else mattered anymore.

But the strike never came. 

Instead, laughter did, and his husband was replaced by Somnus. 

“You’re face!” Phobetor howled. “You believe that! You actually believed all that! Brilliant!” 

Ardyn sunk to his knees, face void from emotion as he stared at the forest floor. 

“Aww, what's the matter, your Majesty? Did I hit a sore spot? Did that hurt?” 

“I thought…” Ardyn whispered, still feeling a hole where his heart was. That… that felt so real…

“Your fears are so out there you know!” Phobetor stated, sitting down in front of him. “There were so many to choose from. Anything from you murdering the Marshal and Prompto. From having to fulfil your destiny to unleashing the mighty wrath of the Adagium onto the world and finally what I showed you. Why is it, out of all of them, you are most scared of the one that will never happen?” 

Ardyn gulped, voice going sombre. “Because it was meant to be like that…”

“Nothing is set in stone, your Majesty. The Gods only tell us that to keep control.” 

Ardyn raised his head up and gave the daemon a funny look.  _ What did he just say?  _

“There is a saying. It goes way back, back when Solheim was given life from Ifrit.” Phobetor stated in a smooth tone. “What is a mob to a King? Nothing. What is a King to a God? Nothing. And what is a God to a non-believer? You know the answer to that. Because you know which category you fall into.”

Ardyn watched as Phobeter, still using his brother’s form stood up. He could barely believe his ears, was Phobetor actually helping him? The next set of words that came out of the daemons mouth seemed to give him his answer. 

“And finally… the bit I like to add on. What happens when the mob stops listening to the King? What happens when the King stops putting faith in his Gods? What happens if they all turn to the non-believer instead? Faith or lack of it is a very powerful thing. How long do you think a God can last when not a single soul has faith in that God anymore?” 

“They can’t…” Ardyn said slowly. 

“Correct. All you have to do is get the world to have faith in the non-believers.” 

Phobetor vanished and Ardyn knew for certain he wouldn’t be seeing him again. Ardyn thought he should be furious with that daemon for using Cor against him but he wasn’t. He was more grateful than anything else because maybe that was the key in beating that dragon…

Finding some inner strength, Ardyn teleported himself to the thick of the trees just before the heart of the forest and he was so relieved to see Lunafreya and apparently she was pleased to see him too.

“Ardyn!” Luna gasped with relief. “Is that you?”

“Yes, my dear.” Ardyn nodded, face turning into a smirk as he noticed the state of her dress and her hair. “And umm… what happened to you?”

“Your daemon. You should really put that one on a leash!” 

Ardyn smiled. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I can now.” 

“Pardon?”

“He may have just solved our God problem. It would be a little cruel to isolate him further after that. Now, where is Cor and Prompto?”

“I don’t know-” 

“DADDY!” 

Ardyn and Luna looked at each other and instantly started moving quickly to the sound of Prom’s voice. Ardyn could hear the scourge swarm around him, begging him to get to the pair of them because they had to be protected! He had to protect them! He rushed into the clearing and the sight melted his heart. Cor and Prompto were in the middle and holding each other close.

“They’re okay.” Ardyn said breathlessly, so grateful to finally see them again-

The ground suddenly started to shake underneath him. 

There was a massive crashing sound, like the earth was opening up and to his horror it was. Right before his eyes, he saw the earth tearing itself apart directly where Cor and Prompto were standing. And before he knew it, both his husband and son had been taken away from him once more as they fell into the newly created hole in the ground. 

“NOOO!!!” Ardyn screamed. 


	6. Into The Abyss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took far too long to write. 
> 
> The words wouldn't do it! It frustrates me so... anyway, it is here now so please enjoy. 
> 
> Also TW: mentions of past self-harm (mentions maybe a sentence or two)

“NOOOO!” Ardyn screamed. 

Not caring for the danger he warped striked over towards the massive hole that Cor and Prom had fallen in when the ground collapsed. A small part of him hoped that all of this was merely an illusion. That Phobetor was just playing one more sick and twisted game, but he was a fool if he believed that. This was no illusion. This was far too gut-wrenching to be one! And this couldn’t be the work of Phobetor either. Not once had he ever physically harmed another living being in his existence. He had no reason to start now. 

When Ardyn peered into the massive drop that went down more than 10ft, his heart dropped a lot further. He could see Cor, laying there in the dirt, unconscious. His legs were covered by earth, and his left arm was trapped by some lose - yet heavy - rocks. Ardyn felt his legs go numb. He knew for certain this was not a trick because he couldn’t feel Phobetor’s presence at all! And all he could hear were the daemons in his head screaming at him to go and save them! They had to save them! That he had to protect what was his, their family! There was no way he was denying them that plea! 

“Ardyn be careful!” 

Ardyn dared not take his eyes off his husband - just in case Cor moved - as he held out his hand behind him to prevent the Oracle from taking a step closer. 

“Call your brother! Get him to bring Aranea’s drop ship here at once! Stay where you are! We have no idea how unstable this area is!” 

Ardyn ordered, not waiting for a reply before he lept into the abyss, darkness shourding him as he landed roughly on his feet just a few metres away from Cor. Hands shaking with fear, Ardyn phased over to him, kneeling in the dirt, quickly removing the earth from his husband’s legs, checking to see if he had any broken bones while talking to him to try and get a response out of him. 

“Cor! Cor, wake up!” Ardyn panicked desperation clouding his judgement as he moved his attention to the rocks crushing his husband’s arm. “Darling, wake up!” 

Cor didn’t stir. 

Ardyn sucked in air sharply, quickly placing his ear to Cor’s chest so he could hear that wonderful heartbeat of his. And it was there.  _ Thank Eos it is there! _ Gulping down a little of his raging anxiety, finally, he set Cor’s arm free and he didn’t need to check to tell it was very broken; Ardyn moved both of his hands to Cor’s shoulders and began to shake him in order to wake him up. He had to be okay. He had to be. 

“Cor! Come on Cor, snap out of it! Wake up! Wake up!” 

It was no good. His body was still limp. 

Panic surged through him and he did the first solution that popped into his head.

“I am so sorry about this, My Marshal.” Ardyn whispered, before raising his hand and striking him across the face. 

Finally, finally, he got a painful groan out of him. 

Ardyn gasped and clung to Cor’s chest with relief as he cried. “Oh, Cor, oh my darling! You’re okay! You’re alright!” 

“Yeah… Did you just hit me…” Cor moaned, barely opening his eyes. 

“Sorry, you weren’t waking up.” Ardyn said, gently placing his lips to Cor’s. 

Cor moaned in pain, the tiniest smirk developing on his features. “That’s abuse, Ass Hat.” 

_ Thank Eos his sense of humour was still intact.  _ Ardyn sighed, letting go a small laugh. 

“It’s alright My Marshal. Just lay still, everything is going to be okay-” 

Ardyn cut himself short as a dark pit began to form where his heart was. The daemons were roaring at him still, telling him everything was far from being okay! He immediately looked up from Cor, eyes going wide and glowing yellow with fear and dread. Because he couldn’t see him. He couldn’t see his sunbeam anywhere…

_ Prompto…  _

“PROM!!!” Ardyn screamed out, using his daemonic voice to heighten his tone, hoping to get a response. 

He didn’t get one. 

“Ardyn?” 

Ardyn gulped at his husband’s fearful tone. He didn’t look at Cor. Instead, he held the hand that Cor could move and continued to scan the area with his daemonic eyes, praying that he would see something move. Anything. A rock. Some dirt. Some grass. Anything! 

Nothing moved. 

“Ardyn? Where’s Prom?! ARDYN!” Cor screamed that time, terror seeping into his conviction as he tried to sit up. 

“Just stay there, Cor.” Ardyn ordered, lightly pushing his husband down, face and tone void from all emotions as he slowly took his hand out of Cor’s. “I am going to look for him.” 

Ignoring Cor as he screamed at him, Ardyn felt cold as he stumbled forward and allowed the daemons to drag his body to the nearest source of life that wasn’t his husband or the Oracle. If he could bring himself to listen, he knew his head would be screaming at him telling him to find their sunbeam and quickly. That they had to protect the brightest light in Eos, but he couldn’t listen. His ears were filled with white noise and his heart rate was decreasing rapidly, as he put one foot in front of the other, tears were already forming in his yellow eyes. 

“Prompto?!” Ardyn shouted voice breaking, hoping to Eos that his son would respond. “Prom… I’m coming. Don’t be scared. Dada’s coming.”

Again he heard nothing but the wind as it rushed through the newly made hole in the ground, forcing up his coat and silencing Cor’s shouts. 

Letting out a tiny whimper of hopelessness, Ardyn’s head led him through mud mound after mud mound, crumbling rock after crumbling rock, until he saw him. But it wasn’t Prompto, it was Phobetor. And this time Ardyn wasn’t offended that Phobetor was using his brother’s form. 

The daemon looked at him and offered him a sombre look before claiming. “I had nothing to do with this, Your Majesty.” 

Ardyn didn’t respond, he just stared blankly at him, eyes drifting to the daemon’s feet as he took one step to the right. 

Ardyn choked on air, as the image of his son, head covered in blood came into view. 

“PROMPTO!” 

Ardyn cried, rushing over to him, smashing an elixir, potion, even a phoenix down on him just to be sure he was alright. But it didn’t wake his son up. Breathing skyrocketing, Ardyn slowly dragged his son out of the rocky and muddy pile and into the safety of his lap, cradling his bloody head softly, all while shaking with fear. 

“Sunbeam… darling, dada’s here. I’ve got you. Oh my… wake up darling. Sunbeam please?!” Ardyn wept the blood on Prom’s hair, plastering his fingers in crimson as he ran his hand carefully through it. The image and the smell of his baby’s blood was taking Ardyn back to the time - after they found out about his eating disorder - where he had walked into Prom’s room to find him cutting himself. Just like then, Ardyn felt completely hopeless that he couldn’t soothe or stop his precious sunbeam from suffering. 

“He’s alright, Your Majesty, just unconscious. I already checked for you.” Phobetor said, using Somnus’s words as he sat down next to him. 

Ardyn whimpered trembling over his son’s body. “You… you, what happened? What happened?!” 

“The ground collapsed.” 

“No!” Ardyn shouted, holding Prompto closer to him, being mindful not to hurt him. He could have broken numerous of bones but Ardyn was too scared to check. “You had something to do with it! Didn’t you!?” 

“No.” Phobetor shook his head. “Why would I want to hurt him? Why would I want to hurt you? You’re technically my King. Why would I risk being slaughtered just to hurt someone? I had nothing to do with this. You know I don’t hurt people.” 

“Then what happened!” Ardyn roared in his face, feeling his hair go on edge. “TELL ME!!!” 

“The ground collapsed. It is natural, things like this happen all the time. Unfortunately, you and your family were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am sorry. But he will be okay.” 

Ardyn sniffed, looking down at Prom, brushing his fingers over his forehead, noticing the massive cut across it. “Oh, my boy… my beautiful baby boy… I am so sorry this has happened. But help is coming, Prom. Please wake up, Prompto. Please?” 

He didn’t move, he was so limp in his arms. The only saving grace there was that he was still warm to touch and his chest was still moving up and down. 

“Prom darling, come on. Ignis is waiting for you. You can’t leave him, he loves you so much- and me and daddy love you too. You need to wake up, please wake up. Sunbeam… please?” 

Tears continued to fall as he felt Phobetor rest a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Trust me. He’s going to be okay.” 

Ardyn shook his head as a tired and distraught whimper left him. “You don’t know that… I don’t even know how much blood he has lost.”

“You’re not thinking straight. The daemons, me included, love the sunbeam because you do. I am telling you, he’ll pull through. You already have help on the way, he’ll be fine, Your Majesty. Have faith in my words.” 

Ardyn suddenly felt cold as the daemon left him. Mind completely knocked for six over the sight, Ardyn could just about bring himself to retrieve a blanket from his armiger and wrap Prompto up in it as he rocked him ever so gently from side to side like he did when Cor first brought this little sunbeam into their lives. Ardyn couldn’t bear the thought of it being snuffed out. He had to keep him alive and warm and he was going to do so. He had to do so. Prompto had to be okay. In order to comfort him until help arrived, Ardyn started to sing, breathing heavily after every line. 

“I know we carried on late”

“I know my head ain't on straight” Ardyn couldn’t help but laugh at that line, and if Prom were awake he would have laughed too. 

“I know you ain't gonna hear me babe”

“I know you ain't even awake”

“Hey but when I can see you love”

“Hey I can really believe in love”

“My beautiful boy”

Ardyn let tears free fall as he bent down to brush his lips against Prom’s bloodied forehead. He was still warm. He could feel his heart beating… maybe he was going to be fine… he had to be fine. Taking in another ragged breath, Ardyn continued, never breaking eye contact with his sunbeam. 

“Honey this world ain't never fair”

“And hey there's trouble everywhere”

“But I see your body lying there”

“I see the moonlight in your hair” Ardyn gasped, touching his golden locks softly. 

“Hey you got nothing to doubt or fear”

“Hey not as long as I'm standing here”

“My beautiful boy”

Ardyn couldn't bring himself to finish the rest of the song. He was glad he didn’t either, because as he finished the last line, he saw Cor’s hand grab his own. Ardyn looked up and cried harder when he locked eyes with his Marshal’s. Cor was crying too. Probably from a mixture of pain and sorrow seeing Prom in this state. Ardyn tried to explain that Prom was alive and that help was coming and it fell on death ears. Cor could see Prom was alive for himself but it didn’t stop their hurt as they had to watch their son in pain. 

Their sunbeam… their baby sunbeam… 

“Ardyn! Cor!” 

Through blurry vision, Ardyn turned his head and looked up to the sky to see Luna and Ravus standing next to her. 

He had been so lost in his emotions for Prompto he had failed to hear the dropship as it made its way into the forest. For once the bright light didn’t hurt him. It made the daemons inside him jump and leap for joy because they knew what this meant. Prompto was going to be alright. 

“Hold steady!” Ravus called down. “We’ll have you out in a moment!”

“Prompto’s hurt!” Cor called back, his voice clearly strained. 

“Ravus! Tell them to get a stretcher ready!” 

Ardyn had to shake his head at the voice. That was his brother’s voice. When the blue magic of his brother appeared before him and Cor, Ardyn let out a massive sigh of relief. 

“It’s alright.” Somnus said calmly, quickly looking at Cor’s arm. “We’ll get you home.” 

“What? What are you doing here?” Ardyn questioned, so unbelievably happy to see him. 

“Looking after my family.” 

Even though Ardyn didn’t want to, he eventually let Prom go and he was safely strapped to the stretcher. It was heartbreaking to be away from his sunbeam for less than 5 minutes but they had to get him back and looked over at once. There was no time for dawdling. When everyone was safely on the dropship, Ardyn took hold of his son’s hand and held it tight while Cor sat the other side of Prompto, arm now put into a sling by Somnus. Neither of them could leave his side. Not for one moment. 

However as Ardyn stared down at his son, and looked at his husband’s broken arm, he could only find one person to blame for hurting the lights of his life.

He didn’t blame Phobetor. He didn’t blame Titan and for once he did not blame Bahamut for this madness.

_No._

Every single daemon in his head was homing in on one person. The very person who wanted to go on this trip in the first place. 

_ Lunafreya.  _

Hate began to simmer and all he could hear was chanting from the monsters in his head to kill. 

They wanted the Oracle dead for this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Ardyn.... Ardyn, Ardyn, Ardyn.... calm down? Please? >~<
> 
> The song is called: 'My Beautiful Boy' by Phosphorescent, in case anyone wanted to know.


End file.
